56 SPECIAL EQUINE THERAPY 



that most cases could be brought to a satisfactory termi- 

 nation in the early stages if an autogenous bacterin were 

 used. The results should be much better with autogenous 

 baeterins than I have been able to get from the use of 

 stock baeterins. 



OSTEOPOROSIS 



This is the American term for that form of osteo- 

 malacia which affects horses in this country. It is what 

 might quite properly be termed a sectional disease. In 

 certain parts of the United States it is a very common 

 disease, while in other sections hardly any cases are seen. 

 The disease is supposed to be due to a serious lack of lime 

 salts in the feed. At any rate, there is a very decided defi- 

 ciency of mineral matter in the osseous tissue of animals 

 affected with the disease. Recently the disease has been 

 classed as an infectious disease. No satisfactory proof 

 of such an etiology has yet been given, and the clinical 

 manifestations do not in any manner support it. 



Osteoporosis is a chronic disease, choosing mature or 

 aged animals for its subjects more frequently than young 

 animals. Its course covers periods of time varying from 

 a few months to several years. The prognosis is in every 

 instance unfavorable. 



Symptoms. Osteoporosis makes its appearance insid- 

 iously. Once the changes in the bone are recognized, the 

 disease has already established itself quite fully. This is 

 probably the chief reason why the treatment is unsatis- 

 factory. The early symptoms are rather obscure ; by the 

 time symptoms of sufficient prominence to m.ake a diag- 

 nosis possible are manifest, the disease has already done 

 so much damage that there is little chance for restoring 

 the health of the animal. Even in regions where the dis- 

 ease is common most cases are not recognized until struc- 

 tural changes have occurred in the skeleton, so insidious 



